Possibility of rain during 13-15 March in Bundelkhand zone of M.P.

There is possibility of rainfall between 13-15 March 2016 at many place in Bundelkhand Agroclimatic zone of Madhya Pradesh. The rainfall will be occurred in Datia, Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Rewa, Panna, Lalitpur and many place with moderate to high wind speed. Farmers are adviced not to irrigate their crop field and also quickly harvest the mature crops and keep it at safe place. Avoid spraying of pesticide and insecticide during this period of wet period. 

Light rain is expected in Bundelkhand zone of M.P. during 15-19 January,2016

During next 5 day light rain (3-10mm) is expected to occur at many places in Bundelkhand region of M.P.  Cloudy weather will decreased the maximum day temperature by 3-4 °C. Rainfall will be received during 15-19 January,2016 at many places. Therefore, farmers are advised to stop or delay irrigation in all the rabi crops for next five days. 

Impact of above normal temperature on wheat growth and development: A scientific analysis

Temperature:

            Maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded above normal during 30 December, 2015 to 13^th January, 2016. The maximum and minimum temperatures were above 3 and 2°C above normal for two weeks respectively. The sowing of wheat was delayed by 15 days and started after 20 November due to soil moisture and high temperature conditions. The maximum and minimum temperatures were below 30 and 12°C during these two weeks. 

Crop stage:

            The crop was in vegetative stage and main process was tillering.

Optimum temperature and vernalization:

Optimal crop growth requires a non-limiting supply of water, nutrients, and radiation; as temperatures rise, the demand for growth resources increases due to higher rates of metabolism, development, and evapotranspiration (Rawson,1988). For spring wheat and barley, an air temperature of about 20–25°C is considered to be optimum for growth and development (Acevedo et al., 2002; Hakim et al., 2012; Hossain et al.,2012).

Temperatures above 30°C during floret formation cause complete sterility (Owen, 1971; Saini and Aspinal, 1982). When growth resources are limited by heat stress, the size of plant organs such as leaves, tillers, and spikes, is reduced (Martiniello and Teixeira da Silva, 2011; Hossain et al., 2012).

Spring-type wheat has a very mild response or no response at all to vernalization,.

Temperature and tillers:

Tillers are important for grain yield in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as well as in other cereals, but are also sensitive to environmental stresses. Hucl and Baker (1991) supported this conclusion that increasing the tillering capacity of cultivars could increase grain yield in semiarid environments. Within a given cultivar, however, Jones and Kirby (1977) indicated that restricting tiller number of plants in semiarid environments tended to increase grain yield compared to free-tillering plants due to the enhanced water-use efficiency. Not all tillers produce spikes in wheat, and many tillers abort before anthesis (Gallagher and Biscoe, 1978). The number of productive tillers depends on genotype and environment and is strongly influenced by planting density . Under favourable conditions, one and one-half fertile tillers per plant is a usual number.

Daylengh and crop growth:

The development of the inflorescence after induction occurs at a rate that is also dependent on daylength in those genotypes sensitive to photoperiod (Stefany, 1993). The shorter the day, the longer the phase is from double ridge to terminal spikelet (Figure 3.2), increasing the period to terminal spikelet and the number of spikelets per spike. Changes in daylength after the terminal spikelet have no effect on floret initiation or anthesis date.

Press reports

रबी खेती पर छाया खतरा सरकार गंभीर

 Submitted by Aksh on 10 January, 2016 - 11:28

दिसंबर के आखिरी दिनों में तापमान में ये उछाल और मौसम में गर्मी का अहसास किसानों के साथ आम जन के लिए चिंता का विषय बन गया है। मौसम विभाग के अनुसान जनवरी के पहले सप्ताह में तेज ठंड की उम्मीद नहीं है। 

गेहूं के लिए नुकसान
इन दिनों खेतों में खड़ी गेहूं की फसल के लिए तापमान की यह तेजी नुकसान का कारण बन सकती है। बढ़वार पर आई फसल के लिए अधिक तापमान नुकसान का कारण बन सकता है। जहां पहले बोवनी हो गई थी और फसल अधिक बड़ी हो गई है, उसके लिए और भी अधिक नुकसान होगा। 

ग़ेहूं में आई जल्दी बालियां होगा नुकसान

Questions to be asked

            When temperatures were not above critical limit, how they are affecting wheat crop growth and development is to be understood. Only due to high GDD their development will fast than normal and some tiller number may be reduced.   But this is due to above normal temperature coupled with soil moisture. But wheat is generally grown in irrigated situation and in vegetative stage fast or slow growth may be compensated in reproductive stage if weather and soil moisture will be around normal. If the temperatures will remains above normal now onwards for more than a week certainly affects wheat productivity, but it is too early to comment on that. 

Aphid activity in February 2016 in Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh

Present status ( up to 10 January 2016)

The mustard crop in flowering and pod development stage, number of aphid present (on 10cm upper part of branching) is almost nil. The temperature maximum and minimum are above normal by 2-3 and 1-2 °C. Dry weather with 9 hours of bright sunshine prevails.

Aphid in February

The growing degree day from 1 -15 January will be above 140 degree day, hence the number of aphid attack on mustard crop could be low during this month. Farmers are advised to carefully watch their mustard crop after 20^th February 2016.

MYMV , YMV and drought impact on two major pulse crop in Bundelkhand region

The high temperature, dry weather and outbreak of MYMV on black gram and YMV on Soybean were reported in Bundelkhand region especially in Tikamgarh, Chhattarpur, Sagar and other districts. But the impacts on crop yield were differed a lot on both the crops. In Tikamgarh district, on an average 34 per cent yield loss in blackgram and 67 per cent yield losses in soybean were recorded. This showed that black gram is still a better crop in kharif than soybean under abnormal weather condition/drought situation. 

Pod borer attack in Chickpea during January –February 2016

Present status

The first pod borer appears in in timely sown chickpea was first week of December ( 4-7^th)  but there number has not been increased so far( upto 22^nd Decemebr). But in delayed sowing it has observed after 15^th December, 2015. This year this crop was generally sown late due to low moisture and high air/soil temperature. The area of this crop in Bundelkhand region was drastically reduced during this season 2015-16. The minimum temperature has gone down upto 6-7 degree Celsius. This may limit their number. The air humidity has increased but the cloudless sky has been not observed continuous for more than 4 days.

Forecast for January

The minimum temperature could be below normal and in many cases it will be below 8 degree Celsius. There may be changes of fogging condition in Bundelkhand and these conditions may pose more stress in completing their life.

Ultimately at the end of the January there may be chance of very low night temperature below 3-4 degree C , thus the growth of pod borer in the chickpea could be very low in this month.

Forecast for February

The number may be higher in this month as compared to last (January) month but still lower and not posed any economical damage to the Chickpea crop. The lowest temperature around (1-2 degree C) before 15^th February again makes a break in pod borer number. After 15^th February, there may be slight increase in pod borer activity in chickpea crop. Hence, farmers are advised to keep watch in their chickpea crop after 15^th February.

Possibility of next rainfall in November boost the chickpea and wheat showing in Bundelkhand zone

The light rainfall was received in Tikamgarh, Chhatarpur, Lalitpur districts of Bundelkhand along with hail. The high wind along with overcast sky and rainfall decreased the maximum temperature by 5-6 °C(degree Celsius). Today minimum temperature is 13.7 °C and dense fog was observed in some area. The average temperature is 18.2°C .

Though the temperature conditions and calendar dates are congenial for rabi sowing but, soil moisture is very low and hence farmers are waiting for another spell of rainfall.

Possibility of next spell of rainfall in November,2015, if occurred  will start sowing of main rabi crops of chickpea and wheat.